Olympian Michelle Picard welcomed home to Taunton

Friday

Feb 28, 2014 at 10:12 PMFeb 28, 2014 at 10:42 PM

Marc Larocque Enterprise Staff Writer @Enterprise_Marc

TAUNTON — Taunton’s Michelle Picard was introduced to roaring applause in her hometown on Friday, as fans gathered to congratulate the city’s silver medal-winning hockey player for her work in the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Hundreds of fans gathered to see Picard, 20, bring her silver medal to the Silver City Galleria mall for a celebration of her accomplishments. A long line of guests waited to have Picard autograph hockey sticks, shirts and pictures, after she received symbolic key to the city of Taunton and was lauded by local officials.

“This is amazing,” said Picard, speaking to the crowd, sporting her silver medal and wearing her Team USA Winter Olympics jacket. “Thank you all for coming out. I’m truly honored and proud to call Taunton my home. I fell in love with sports here and fell in love with hockey. I’m just so grateful for all the support.”

Picard said she wouldn’t have been on the podium on Friday, wearing a silver medal, without her family, friends and all her old teammates and coaches. Picard also had a special message for all the excited children who were in attendance, waiting to meet her.

“Thank you and for all those young kids out there playing sports, keep at it,” Picard said. “Have fun and play as long as you can.”

Taunton Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr. and other local leaders applauded Picard and her team for fighting so hard in the Olympics.

“Michelle, you are such a role model, not only for young women, but for young athletes throughout Taunton and the state of Massachusetts, showing that if you work hard and follow your dreams, anything is possible,” Hoye said.

Picard, who was joined by her parents and brother, also received State House citations from state Rep. Shaunna O’Connell, R-Taunton, state Rep. Keiko Orrall, R-Lakeville, and state Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton.

Picard said she had an “amazing” experience in Sochi, Russia, where the Olympics were held. She recalled walking around the Olympic Village and seeing professional hockey players, including Boston Bruins stars Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara.

“It was cool even if didn’t know each of the athletes, just knowing that they were best at what they do was so cool,” Picard said. “Everyone was just roaming around, doing their thing. Seeing all the athletes was cool, but I kind of have to try not to be awestruck. You are there to do a job.”

Picard said the full realization that she was going to play in the Olympics didn’t actually set in until she was on the airplane to Sochi with her teammates.

“That’s when it hit me,” she said. “‘Oh my goodness, I’m going to the Olympics right now.’ Before then, it was kind of always too good to be true. … When we landed we had practice right away. It was so cool on the ice and to see on the boards, “Sochi 2014,” and Olympic rings, and “USA” on the front of your jersey. Everything you dreamed for. It was just incredible.”

Picard said after the Olympics ended, she read about how everyone was watching the games back home and cheering her on, including students at Parker Middle School, where she was once a student, who watched the gold medal match during their lunch period.

“It’s cool to know kids at Parker saw it and were inspired by it,” Picard said. “When I was there, I’m so invested in what I’m doing and playing hockey. Afterwards, to know what it meant to people is very cool.”

Picard again recalled the heartbreaking finish in the gold medal final, losing to Canada, but said the support of family and everyone else back home makes it easier to swallow.

“In the moment, getting the silver medal, it hurt and it’s hard to appreciate what you’re getting,” Picard said. “But now that I’m home and seeing and hearing the reaction from friends and all people back home and family, it helps me appreciate the silver medal and realize what an accomplishment it is. It makes it little easier.”

On Friday, Picard thanked everyone who supported her along the way.

“I’m so thankful the city is doing this,” Picard said. “Never in a million years would I have guessed this would happen. I’m the one who got to play in the Olympics, but so many more people were a part of it.”

Picard may be the first silver medal winner ever from Taunton. According to Sports Reference, an online database of statistics and athletic history, the only other Olympic athlete from Taunton was Mildred Dee, who was born in the city and won the bronze medal for the running high jump during the 1928 Summer Olympics held in Amsterdam.

Picard grew up playing in Taunton at Aleixo Arena, playing for the Taunton Brewins until about age 13; in addition to the Bridgewater Lady Bandits from ages 8 to 11; and then the Massachusetts Spitfires. She later attended the Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, where she could play high school hockey.

Picard now attends Harvard University and plays college hockey for the Crimson.

Before joining the Olympic women’s hockey squad last year, Picard also won several medals with the U.S. U-18 youth national team, including a gold medal at the World Championships in 2011.